Kid Icarus: Odyssey of Pit
by Master Pencil
Summary: Taking place after the first two games, Pit, aka "Kid Icarus", must journey beyond Angel Land and into a realm of monsters, magic, and myths to save the world from the powerful god of the dead that is Hades. A story before Kid Icarus: Uprising.
1. Chapter 1 Darkness Strikes Again

**Kid Icarus: Odyssey of Pit**

**By Master Pencil**

High above the fields and trees, above the houses and temples, and above the people and beasts stood one boy that had already endured enough for one his age.

He stared at the sky and earth merge from the balcony from the Palace In The Sky, his beautiful blue eyes seeing a calm and peaceful world that acted as if nothing had ever disturbed it before. But the boy knew that long ago, when he was younger, terror struck the world like a monstrous storm. Battles were raining outside the temples and cities, screams and howls thundered throughout the madness, arrows and fire blew across the land, and fear struck the world like lighting.

People, mortals and angels alike, tried to flee the mad terror crushing their hearts down into their stomach, and minds sent wild with fear, to anywhere they thought was safe to escape it. A young angel boy cried with terror as two ugly demons laughing cruelly over their easy takeover, toke him beneath the clouds, away from the one he loved, and sent him to the opening of the Underworld.

The boy saw the light disappear as he was being taken down into the blackness, and once that sparkle of light vanished, he was sure he would never see that little light again.

Now all he saw was darkness, swallowing him into a state of hopelessness that made him worried over everyone… including her.

Locked into the Underworld prison, he closed his eyes with sorrow, until he saw a glimmer of light appear, and he saw before him a small bow she had brought to him.

He began to smile, and he once he picked up that mere, little bow, he attacked his captors and arrived into the Underworld full of determination.

All hope was never lost.

He would go on and defeat the one that caused him and her so much pain, and light had returned to a world that had once felt the same as he first did. He would become the captain of her army, and a weakling he never was.

All was peace. But there was a small price for peace.

Even though this boy had to prevent another takeover of his home, it would finally create an ever-lasting peace that kept the land nice and quiet.

But for the boy, he was not like most of his fellow angels. He was a warrior, an adventurer, a darer, and loved to fight and loved to have a challenge.

Peace and quiet was not so good for someone like him. Other than visiting his friends, gilding around Skyworld, participating in games, or simply running his sky fort, he often lodged around the balcony or somewhere quiet so he could think.

This outrageously bored him, and he yearned for the days of adventure, fights, and fun.

Another angel boy arrived at the balcony; he had brown, curly hair and green eyes that stared curiously at him.

"Are you still out here Pit?" he asked him. He only sighed.

"I might as well be a statue," he mumbled. The boy chuckled and stood right beside him.

"I know Pit, you want a little excitement for once huh?" he said. "Well, its better being bored in a peaceful land, than terrified in a land full of insanity!"

Pit was aware of that… oh how bad those times were.

"It's not that Talos, I am so bored that I almost wish I want a new quest," he told him. His friend was not that surprised, and he began to walk away to let him be.

"Be careful what you wish for Pit, you may get it, that's what she would tell you too," he said as he left the balcony. Pit turned around and glared at his figure disappearing from sight.

"_He has no idea," _he thought brashly as he turned to the huge view again. "_He doesn't know Palutena as well as I do!"_ He was somewhat right.

Pit and Palutena were bonded to each other like a son and mother. He would always treat her like she was his own mother, other than a goddess or higher authority.

"_What should I do?" _he thought as he continued staring at the clouds slowly drift.

Meanwhile, in the darkest bowls of the Underworld, a powerful man with a coal black beard and a long, two-pronged cane sat on his throne.

He was none other than the god of the underworld, Hades. His wife, Persephone, a beautiful but ominous woman, was standing next to him as they watched a purple, one-eyed creature bow before Hades.

"O great Hades, ruler of the Underworld, what is it that you desire of me?" the wizard asked.

"Listen Eggplant Wizard, I have made my decision," he said in a mighty, intimidating voice. "I have seen over time the failures of Medusa and Orcos to conquer Angel Land, but I have an not I, god of the Underworld, run the task of conquest myself?"

Persephone seemed surprised by his words.

"My dear husband, but are you telling me that you desire to take Angel Land?" she said aghast. Hades did not seem to budge by his words.

"I know you are thinking of that foolish little boy are you? The boy with that arrogant smile that strikes me, the one that is supported by Palutena?" he said. She only scowled and looked up to the sky's direction.

"Oh how I always wanted to get back at her! I had always supported Medusa to the end, and that boy, he defeated her! The two of them together angers me!" Hades gave a smirk that seemed chilling to the Eggplant Wizard.

"Then this is your greatest opportunity! Perhaps if you help me in my plans, we can destroy Pit and turn Palutena into a hideous monster that would have made Medusa look beautiful!" he laughed. He thought about exactly how to get the plans across.

"The problem however, is that Zeus will punish me greatly if I even attempt to conquer anything!" he then retorted. "But I just do not want only Angel Land, oh no, I want more than that."

The Eggplant Wizard stared at him funny. "What exactly do you mean great Hades?"

The god only smiled evilly as he stood up from his throne.

"I will break the laws," he said declared. For some reason, that made Persephone and the wizard both shiver.

"What do you mean?" said the wizard. "I will do the mortals a favor and wipe them all out!"

Both of them stared bewildered at the god.

"Are you mad?!" Persephone said aghast.

"Perhaps… but that means the end is here… and with every end….there is a beginning… of death!"

Pit was in the palace now, and he was minding his own business again until a bright light appeared as Palutena entered the room.

She looked very concerned.

He bowed before her, and said "What is wrong?"

She remained silent for a minute; Pit began to dread the silence.

"They are coming," she said quietly. Pit's dread began to swallow him, and without a shadow of a hesitation, he rushed to the balcony to see what was coming.

It was the thunderstorm, back for more. The dark mass swarmed into Angel Land like locusts, and the angels of the land saw this and ran away from the swarm of demons that pounced on them and gave off many cries and howls that thundered throughout the land.

Pit stormed back inside the palace to see Palutena still standing there.

"O great Palutena, we shall not lose so easily this time!" he vowed. She only nodded.

"Leave me be, I have someone to wait on," she told him. He wondered what she was talking about, but shrugged that off as he dashed outside to find his centurions already fighting off the invasion.

"Go! Protect the palace! Give the fight your all!" he barked to his soldiers. He joined in the fight himself, using Palutena's Bow to slice the demons before they could get a scratch at him. The centurions fought fiercely, shooting their arrows at the monsters as Pit fired light arrows at a swarm of demons attacking the buildings.

"Captain, look!" a centurion said as Pit looked up to see a flying black chariot driven by black Pegasus swoop to the palace gates.

"To the palace centurions!" he yelled as he ran back inside with a large group of centurions at his side.

When they broke inside to Palutena's chamber, they saw her surrounded by demons, snakes, spiders, Shemums, Specknoses, and other enemies openly mocking her.

"Easy takeover as usual!" said the Eggplant Wizard. This made Pit furious, and charged at the wizard while the centurions attacked all the monsters.

"Kid Icarus!" the Eggplant Wizard cried as he was pounded by him.

Suddenly, the gates swung open as a figure appeared. The battle ended as they all got a good look.

It was Hades.

"Hello Palutena," he said coldly. She did not glare or turn away, she only stared at the content expression of him as he made his way to her.

"Getting used to conquest my dear?" he laughed. Pit boldly stood in the death god's way.

"You are not welcome here!" he snapped. He paused and stared at Pit, and he slowly began to chuckle at his bravery, and the other monsters joined in.

"Do not ridicule me!" he retorted. Hades only shook his head at him.

"Boy, you are an arrogant one are you?" he chuckled. Pit clenched his fists in rage and snapped

"Who is the one being arrogant here?! Do you think you can conquer our home?!" he said angrily.

Hades decided to ignore him, and went around him so he could see Palutena.

"Take that boy away, he is no longer worthy of me anymore," he said bluntly. The demons agreed, and seized Pit. He was struggling in their grasp as he saw Hades approach Palutena thereatly.

"No!" Pit cried as he was tossed out into the dark sky. He stretched as his wings as he tried to glide back, but the demons toke off and began to attack him from all sides.

Pit brought out the bow and toke the swords apart so he could wield them like smaller swords, and swung at them as he was plummeting to the earth. One of the demons screeched and kicked Pit down farther away, where he was dropping into a falling dissent.

As he saw the palace fade from view, he saw that far away light sparkle for a minute, and he soon saw nothing but darkness. This made him want to lose all hope, but he was beyond that now, and he smiled through the dissent as Palutena's bow shined a light for a second, and he closed his eyes and enjoyed the dissent that was taking him away from Angel Land and to the Overworld below to begin his long-awaited adventure.


	2. Chapter 2 Start of a Journey

It was the talk of the village.

The farmers from the fields saw it fall to the ground below. The size of a boy, yet it had large wings of white. They saw it swoop carelessly down into the village, and small, white feathers floated to the ground with elegant grace. One of them picked one up, twirling it in his fingers.

"I believe something dear has come here," he said quietly. No doubt, the villagers who came outside to see what it was that disturbed their simple lives came to see something unusual, but special indeed.

What they saw was a handsome, young boy lying in the grass, appearing to be in a peaceful sleep than knocked unconscious by something from the sky. The villagers, especially the children, stared with surprise at the boy's beautiful wings, and one resident stood over him and prepared to tell the people his thoughts, for he was the kind mayor.

"This is no costume," he told the crowd. "This boy must be cared for."

A woman made her way toward the mayor.

"I will take care of him," she said. The girl at her side seemed to admire him, and the mayor nodded, which allowed some of the people to raise him toward his caretaker's house.

It would be only a few hours later that he would wake up, and he stared around at his room a little confused. The girl, who had just come back to comfort him, smiled with delight as his blue eyes were set on her.

"Where am I?" he asked her. She giggled and placed a whole breakfast at his side.

"You're obviously not in Skyworld that's for sure," she said. Pit thought about that place, and he immediately stood up to stare at the direction of his home.

"I must go back!" he exclaimed. The girl was a little shaken by his move, but she slowly became curious as he continued to stare up at the sky.

"We knew there must have of been a reason," she explained. "How did you come?"

Pit sat back down, and the look on his face made the girl feel pity for him.

"My home… was seized," he mumbled. He bowed his head with shame as she tried to think of what seized his home.

"Who did it?" she asked. He stared at her, and he looked to the ground with complete disdain.

"Him," he said with a touch of anger. This unnerved the girl, but she was still curious.

"Who was him?" she asked. He hesitated, his name sending shivers down his spine.

"…. Hades," he blurted. She gasped, and shook her head with disbelief as she backed away.

"Him?!" she said with total fear. He only nodded his head, and that was enough for her to run to her mother and father. The two of them came inside the room with seriously concerned faces.

"Zeus will not take this kindly," the girl's father said darkly.

"If he is going to strike him in the head with a lighting bolt, I say fire away!" Pit replied.

"SHH! Child, Hades might have heard you!" the mother told him. He only scoffed and stood up.

"Let him come for me! He'll find out I am still alive!" he laughed. Pit began to leave the house, and the father only stared concerned at him.

"_He is no Medusa," _the father thought. Pit arrived at the village square, and some of the people started to come up to question him.

"You're well! Are you from Angel Land?!" One of the people asked him.

"How is it like to fly?!" one of the children asked him enthusiastically.

"Please everyone! Not right now!" he pleaded. The girl from earlier caught him trying to flee the village.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" she called to him.

"Angel Land, where else?" he replied. She hurried to him with a map in her hand.

"Here, at least take this with you," she told him. "It's a map of this world."

Pit opened it to find an overwhelming size of lands on that map. He could see a tiny dot that showed him the village's location.

"I know, intimidating isn't it?" she said as he stared at all the lands with confusion. He tried to look for Skyworld, but that was placed at the far corner of the map, and it just so happened to be far from the village.

He would not have time to contemplate, because at that time a frantic messenger came to announce his news to everyone nearby.

"I bring dire news!" he called to anyone who listened. "Hades has indeed conquered Skyworld! Chaos is spreading in the Overworld!" Pit dropped the map and confronted the messenger.

"Is Skyworld not enough for him?" he asked.

"Oh he certainly wants more! The great Zeus is planning his actions as we speak! I fear the worst!" He stared at the crowd assembling him nervously, but he was amazed to see Pit only smile at him.

"Don't worry," he told him. The messenger noticed his wings, and he was taken by surprise.

"I will save you all," Pit told the people. "I will fight my way through the woods, mountains, seas, and anything that stands between me and Palutena!" They stared at him with awe, and the girl picked up the map to give it to him.

"I guess I didn't tell you my name?" she asked. "Well, my name is Galatea, and I hope you are successful."

Her father came with Palutena's bow, and he delightfully toke the bow as he continued to stare sadly at him.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked him.

"Because I care," he muttered. "Pit, I know you faced impossible odds before, but this is different. Hades is a deadly god. His power is overwhelming, and I shudder at the thought of what he would do to a great lad like you." He turned away to the sky with sorrowful eyes.

"Don't worry, I have something Hades doesn't, and that is love," Pit told him.

Pit ran up the hill, and turned back to the village with a look of confidence.

"I will not let you down!" he called to all of them. And he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3 Boy of Action

A green expanse stood in front of Pit, the land rolling across the curves, slopes, hills, and forests. He stood at his point of the hill, overlooking the very place he would have to travel to reach the nearest city. That adventurous feeling was tingling in him again, and he opened his wings wide before he fell down into the air.

The air guided him past the hills and trees, and Pit felt as though he was a free bird. Adventure and confidence came into each other, and once he landed at the heart of the forest, he was content as he could be.

That was all gone once a low, steady croak surfaced from the brush. He quickly became alert, Palutena's Bow held firmly in his hands. The croaking returned seconds later, and Pit pulled out a light arrow, and the magical arrow spilt thorough the sky toward the beast's location. Fluttering of insect-like wings sped out from the bush as strange frogs with wings retreated from Pit's attack. He approached the bush cautiously, and looked inside to see a heart lying in the defeated frog's place.

Once he picked it up, the sudden sound of wings swung him around to see the group of frogs flying toward him. He pulled apart the bow so he could slice the oncoming enemies with his blades. More hearts lied on the ground after the fight, and so he acquired more currency for a future visit to the shop.

He continued on his way through the forest until he saw a Door that lead into a small cave. Entering inside, a man with brown hair and a large nose smiled lazily from his stand.

"How may I help you? We have everything," he said. Pit stared at what he had to offer. There was a chalice, a mallet, and a bottle he had for sale.

"You look familiar," said the shopkeeper.

"You look familiar too," he replied. Pit almost felt a little silly. He knew that the perfectly snug man at the counter was the shopkeeper, but it had been so long since the two of them met that they seemed they were long lost friends meeting each other. The Shopkeeper chuckled and Pit sighed.

"Has it been that long?" Pit asked. The Shopkeeper was a little confused as he thought about the exact length of their departure.

"What made it seem long to you?" he said.

"Skyworld had been boring for so long, that there was hardly anything for me to do," he explained.

"I know how you feel. It is a very lonely thing to be a shopkeeper, in part because when I get customers, they always tell me "My goodness! Your prices are so high!" and I had to survive long periods of customer drought as a result," he said.

Pit stared at the prices, and he gaped at what he saw.

"Fifty hearts for a single mallet?!" he exclaimed.

"Tough times Kid Icarus," he replied. Pit clenched his fists in frustration.

"So now Hades started an inflation?! Just wait until I return up there, he will regret everything he has done to me and the great Palutena!" he snapped. The Shopkeeper looked around nervously.

"How about we begin our bargaining?" he suggested. Pit sourly laid a bag he had brought with him from the village on the counter.

"I ran into a group of Kerons in the forest, but I haven't seen how many hearts I collected, so see for yourself," he said bitterly. The Shopkeeper spilled a few small hearts and half hearts onto the counter, and began counting them.

"Well, you have enough for a mallet," he said.

"I don't think that would be necessary since my fellow centurions did not turn into stone," he replied. The Shopkeeper anxiously stared down at the counter.

"What's wrong?" Pit asked. The Shopkeeper continued to stare downward.

"They did turn to stone," he muttered. Pit glared at him.

"And I wonder who did that?" he asked coldly.

"Hades perhaps," he replied. Pit snatched the mallet and bag, and he left the cave angrily.

"Thank you very much," said the Shopkeeper. Pit walked through the forest, staring with a nasty glare at the mallet that he wished he could whack on Hades' head.

_Why does this happen?! __Why does darkness have to trample over Angel Land as if it was just a little treasure to collect?! It almost makes us seem…weak._

He paused for a few seconds, but started again with a smile.

_No, that is a very silly thing to say! Good will always defeat evil! No matter how large and terrifying the evil is, the smallest good can overcome it! I am the perfect example of that! _

But his mind was interrupted when he felt a strange feeling below his sandals. Suddenly, the ground cracked open as two, large pincers stuck out. Pit jumped away seconds before the pincers snapped shut.

He prepared to fire a light arrow at the large insect called a Girin. The Girin shot a projectile at Pit, and the angel quickly dodged it and fired the arrow. It struck the beetle, killing it on the spot and leaving a heart in the process.

Almost right on time, a group of toothy mouths known as Micks were flying toward Pit's location. Once they sensed him, they flew toward him with mouths bared. Pit spilt Palutena's Bow into blades, and sliced through the monsters one by one.

A one-eyed toad called a Nettler leaped from the brush to have its shot at him. But it was shot right on the eye before it could get too close.

Pit ran through the forest with a smile, enjoying the fighting he had not fought in so long. The trees rustled with something heavy in their branches, and a line of rock creatures called Rokmen were dropping straight to the ground. Pit easily dodged them and cracked them open with his blades, having fun in all the excitement.

Panting with all the running, he looked at the money that was lying on the forest ground.

_Now this is what it should be _he thought contently. _The Shopkeeper is going to be familiar with me now._


	4. Chapter 4 Zeus

The sun set over the land as Pit walked out of the forest in a not-so energetic manner.

"Where do all of these monsters come from?!" he said. He was thankful for the small break, and another cave was located. Hoping there were no Specknoses inside; he entered the cave to see a chamber.

It was empty, but a bright light shined from the ceiling, and the rumble of thunder signaled the arrival of someone of a higher authority. A figure appeared from the light, a strong figure of an ancient man with a massive white beard. Pit bowed before him, for he recognized him instantly.

"Glad you came Pit! There is something I need to tell you," he said. Pit knew that he was going to talk about the crisis in Skyworld, and so Zeus began explaining what he was planning to do. He was now going to be much more involved in Pit's adventuring this time around, that Pit was certain.

"I knew that Hades was going to do something catastrophic, but when he invaded Skyworld, I did want to strike him down, but I could not do it," he said.

"Why would that be?" Pit asked.

"If I fought Hades, then I would have thrown my entire family into a war," he told him. Pit cringed, because he knew that he was talking about the other gods and goddesses. If there was ever a feud between them, then it would truly be the end of the world.

"I guess I didn't think how big this is," said Pit.

"Indeed, a feud is what he probably desires the most. There were times when I could not trust even some of my brothers or sisters. But we must move on before we say something that will get their attention," he continued. It disturbed the boy angel that someone might be watching them this instant.

"Now, let me see how you have improved over time." Zeus suddenly disappeared, and large tiles began swooping around the chamber.

Pit immediately unlatched Palutena's Bow to slice through some of the Monoliths that fell near his side of the chamber. He had to act quickly so they could not fall on his head. They were all moving in different directions, and so Pit slid to a safe location where none of the monoliths could come in contact. From here, he shot the stone tiles with light arrows until the trial was over.

Zeus returned to the chamber in a delighted mood.

"Well done Pit! Take this," he said. Pit toke the chalice, drinking the delicious juice that refreshed his health.

"This is how it will go forward," Zeus said.

"You are familiar with the Overworld, but there are more lands than the village and forest you visited. You must journey across many of these new lands before you can begin your trek to Skyworld, and there is something that will help you reach them," he explained.

"A ship is waiting for you at the harbor only a short distance from here. There is a boy who will help you on your quest, and the captain of the ship will help you also," he further explained. Pit was happy to hear that he was finally going to have a partner on his adventure.

"But beware," Zeus said seriously. "Hades does know that you are taking this quest, and he has sent monsters upon this world that would devour any who stand in their way, so be very wary." Pit nodded, knowing that he was more capable of fighting monsters on his own now.

"I have one question Zeus," he asked. "How is Palutena?"

"She is imprisoned, but she is holding onto hope," he answered. That was a large relief for Pit, who worried that she was turned to stone…or worse.

"Thank you great Zeus! I will not let you down!" he said. He ran out of the chamber to search for his ship.

Just as Zeus had said, a ship was waiting for him at a small harbor on the beach. Pit came to see a boy his age smiling at him.

"You must be Pit from Angel Land!" he said. "I heard of you many times before!"

"Yes, and who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Phrixus, and I have been very excited to join you!" he replied. A man arrived at the greeting. He was strongly muscled, and he had a bushy mustache that bristled when he smiled at Pit. He seemed to be a jolly fellow, so Pit was pleased to be in the company of both of them.

"Hello angel boy! Hurry up on board so we can start our voyage!" he said. Pit came onto the ship cheerful as ever. He was going to be doing something he had not done on his earlier adventures, and that was setting sail for distant lands.

"I am Captain Aquarius, and the sea should be fair for our voyage to Petrland in due time," he explained to Pit. His companion went to work on the sails of the small ship, and after going through the proper adjustments and preparation, their ship was setting course for the distant worlds that lay ahead.

_Do not worry great Palutena, your captain is coming to your rescue._


	5. Chapter 5 Friendship

Pit and Phrixus went to their small, modest room within the ship's hold. Even here the ship rocked back and forth slowly, luring Pit to a tired state. Two beds were spaced apart from each other, and Pit went to one and Phrixus to the other. Pit lied on his side to not make his wings uncomfortable.

"So how have you been doing?" Phrixus asked as he rested his head on the soft bed.

"I can't exactly describe it," he replied.

"That figures," said Phrixus. "I would be completely frightened if I was you!"

Pit looked at him with a frown.

"I used to be like that, but not anymore," he said. Phrixus stared at him curiously, and sat upright as if he wanted to know something.

"Why?" he asked. It was clear that he still had a childish curiosity.

"It is a long story, but I might as well tell you," Pit replied.

And so Pit told Phrixus about his quest to defeat Medusa and save Palutena, his second quest to defeat Orcos and demons, and his former state of boredom that was broken by the invasion of Hades. Phrixus was following his story so well, and was amazed by them, that never once did he gaze at him with sleepy eyes. Pit did not seem to blame him; the sound of adventure was what made him anticipated for this quest the first time.

"Wow," he said quietly. "You are very lucky!"

Pit smiled at his compliment and rested his head on the bed to slowly drift to sleep.

_He should make a great friend._

A dream soon came to his mind. Skyworld was not the same as it used to have been before. It was now dark, dead, and barren, with the temples and sculptures dry as though they were thousands of years old. Not a soul was stirring in this world, only still, silent statues stood on the streets and floating islands of this once alive land. Many of their expressions were still in shock, while others were filled with sadness. But no sight was more frightening than the palace itself. Pit fumbled in his bed and his face twitched with fear at the very sight of it.

The palace was hideous to behold, with its beautiful architecture left to crumple pathetically into ruin. An Eggplant Wizard smiled with satisfaction at the ruination of Skyworld, and he chuckled darkly back inside to where his master was chuckling at something himself.

Hades was inspecting what used to be the beautiful ruler of Skyworld. She was now turned into a less-than-grand statue; her face was plain and unshakable. Her life and light was taken away in an instant, her radiance of energy frozen still in stone. Pit stared at his ruler in absolute horror, and it was further inflamed when Hades turned around and pointed at him with his two-prong staff.

"You will be mine Kid Icarus, you will soon be my son and not this weak mother!" he growled.

"NO!" he screamed. The response jolted him from sleep immediately.

"What's wrong?!" asked Phrixus, startled by his shout.

Pit could barely move or breathe. His heart pounded like a menacing drum, and his wings quivered coldly as though an evil mist ruffled his feathers. For the first time in ages, fear was consuming him. Thoughts pulsed through his mind with every beat of his heart, and he remembered that one day when Palutena had a nightmare about demons invading Skyworld, it soon came to be. If what he saw was soon going to be… he could not even begin to imagine. He lied on his bed stricken with terror, thinking of what diabolical plans Hades had in store for his home. Aquarius soon came down and spotted him lying on his bed sweating.

"Was it a nightmare?" he asked.

"It was more than just that," he said. "It was a vision."

He slowly calmed down and fell asleep once again, never stopping to think about Palutena.

"Mother," he whimpered. "Do not leave me!"

When morning finally dawned, Pit awakened into a much more cheerful setting. After stretching himself, he stood up and stretched his wings. Phrixus awoke minutes later and groggily stood up as he scratched his back. Aquarius appeared almost on cue, and seemed to be in a delightful mood.

"You lads must be ready for land are ya?" he asked them.

"Personally, I prefer the air," Pit replied.

"Ah, I like the water much better, but eh, everybody has their taste," said Aquarius.

The three of them came onto the deck, and land was clearly visible not too far away. Aquarius climbed up to the mast to see a rocky terrain that they were coming too. This land that they were coming too was Petrland, a land of rocks and deserts that suited the name well, for "Petr" meant rock.

"Land ho boys! We will be there in only several minutes!" he told them.

Their ship arrived at a smooth shore, and the boys stepped out as Aquarius stayed put.

"I'll just stay on here and let you two continue onward, good luck in the land of rock!" he called to them. The land of rock was certainly quite a rocky place to the eyes of Pit. Large stones jutted up from the barren land, and a rough wind wheezed through his wings. Phrixus was cheerful about the start of the quest, but Pit was wary about this new world. The beasts that might inhabit here could be more dangerous than the ones earlier.

"Don't be so uptight Pit! This is a new land we are exploring!" he told him. He thought that perhaps he was right. He only felt suspicious about the space around him and the creatures that may reside it. After all, he was used to enemies pouncing on him every second.

"AH! Monster!" yelped Phrixus. Here he goes again.

Pit hurried to the site where he wandered off to, and came to see a large, brown snake the same color as the land hissing angrily at a frightened Phrixus. Pit strung Palutena's Bow and fired it at the serpent just before it came any closer to his companion.

"Thank you Pit!" he complimented. Pit walked to the place where the creature died to pick up a half-heart.

"You should have a weapon on you," he replied.

"Uh…I had a knife somewhere" he muttered.

"Why did you not use it?" he asked in a questionable tone.

"I…think I left it behind on the ship," he said. Pit shook his head in disbelief.

"You better find something to fight with, because I am not to going to defend you all the time!" he told him in a scolding manner.

"Sheesh, come on Pit, I am still rather young," he said.

"You are just as old as me!" he snapped. Phrixus laughed at his remark.

"Not so, I am about a couple years younger than you," he said matter-of-factly.

Pit shook his head again and continued onward, not wanting to bicker at him for hours. He had much more important tasks to accomplish, and quarreling with a companion was not one of them. For a minute, he almost wished he was back to being alone.

They continued to explore the barren wasteland, the sand brushing against their feet and Pit's wings flapping with the tug of every blow of desert wind. Phrixus picked up a stray feather that came off of one of Pit's wings, and wondered what it would be like to fly.

Even more so, he wondered how Pit got his wings in the first place. He even contemplated how he might have died, since the common thought of his was that angels were sprits of deceased people. It would have been unlucky for Pit to have died so young to him.

But he did not dare ask Pit this question, for being the brash, bossy boy that he was he would probably scold him furiously and become offended. He smiled cheerfully as he hid the feather away. He would just have to question him later, when he was in a better mood perhaps.

Meanwhile, in the dark, lifeless Skyworld, Hades watched the boys in the magic pedestal Pit often used himself to watch sporting events and fights.

"This is quite entertaining Persephone," he said.

"Yes Hades, Palutena has such a lovely dressing room!" she said amusingly, toying with her cosmetics.

"Stay comfortable my Persephone, we will not be going anywhere in the near future," he replied. "Pit and some mortal fishing boy are trekking through Petrland at this moment. I will now send them off."

Back at the two adventurers, they were still surviving through the rocky desert until a billowing shape blew across the landscape.

"What is that?!" Phrixus asked.

"It must be those storms I heard before," Pit replied. "Dust Storms to be exact."

He was correct in that it was a dust storm, but he did not see that a wave of monsters was cleverly hidden behind its blinding mass of dust. It soon swept toward the two boys, and the angel and fishing boy had no escape to take.

Within seconds, the storm slammed into the two youths and sent them to the ground. Pit closed his blue eyes in order to protect them from the stinging dust. Phrixus crouched fearfully next to him, both near blind in sight. Pit pulled out the Mirror Shield, and a loud clang signaled its successful use. This was all that they could do. The shield was useful for holding off the striking dust, and Pit held on to it with all he could.

Seconds later, grunts and growls shot through the wind as they could barely make out the shapes of monsters approaching their helpless position. With one arm holding the shield and the other grasping on the bow, it almost made it impossible for him to spilt them into blades. A large, insect-like creature scurried toward them and latched itself onto the shield.

Pit opened his mouth to yell, but dust blew into him immediately, and now he could only struggle with the item thief that was Pluton. The pushes between the two forced the Mirror Shield toward the enemy, and when it faced him, a blast of dust shoved Pluton into the sky.

With this new trick learned, Pit tried to aim the shield at the other monsters attempting to approach and shot them away with blown-back dust. The attack was working, and a minute later the dust storm began to die down. The sky and sun was visible again, and Pit could open his eyes wider to smile triumphantly. Phrixus looked as if he was awakening from a nightmare.

"The desert is bad," he said. Pit chuckled and got up to walk the rest of the desert. Back up at the palace, Hades was glaring with disappointment.

"How I could forget about the Mirror Shield?" he growled. "No matter, there is more in store for those young fools."

On Petrland, Pit was Unfrotunely battling monsters as Phrixus cheered him on.

"Go get them Kid Icarus!" he cheered.

"You won't be on the sidelines for long!" he replied irritably.

But at least these battles rewarded him with cash. The problem however was a lack of shops. They did run into a cave at one point, but it was a Specknose lair, and Pit fought the strange creatures relentlessly while Phrixus stayed on the sidelines and laughed at them.

"They are so funny looking!" he laughed.

"Unless you're fighting them!" remarked Pit.

Finally, they reached the beginning of a fortress in the middle of the desert. Pit stared at the coming challenge intently.

"Something is telling me a treasure is hiding there," he said. He did not know what it could be, but ever since the nightmare he was more concerned about Palutena then before. She was in danger, and her captain was going to go anywhere and everywhere to free her from Hades.

"I know you're the captain of Palutena's army, but what does she mean to you?" asked Phrixus.

It was a question he was eager to ask him ever since they first met, and now he felt that now was the best moment to ask. He looked at the symbol on Pit's left hand and the symbol on his belt, thinking they would have meant something. Everything about the young captain was a mystery to him.

"She means everything to me," he replied quietly.

"Almost as a son and mother?" he asked. He was surprised to see Pit not offended by that, but actually saddened.

"She is all I have," he told him. The sad look in his blue eyes made Phrixus feel miserable, and he felt sorry for asking.

"She is what makes me fly," he further explained. Phrixus noticed that he was left-handed when he held the bow affectionately. That might have been why the emblem was on his dominant hand. Pit was a different boy than he first thought.

"You know Phrixus, I have been more open to you than any of the angels back home," he told him.

"Really?" he replied. "Aren't they curious about your past as I am?"

"They were curious, but I was never willing enough myself to explain," he said. "I thought they would not understand."

Phrixus thought about this, and felt that Pit was not such a bossy youth after all, minus the wings and captain status; he was a young youth like him.

"You know what Pit?" Phrixus told him. "I was never befriending too much myself."

"Do you mean…" Pit asked excitedly.

"Yes Pit, can we be friends?" he asked him. Pit was overjoyed with the invitation.

"Yes!" he answered. The two nodded and patted each other on the back.

"Let's go send Hades back to the stinky Underworld my angelic pal!" Phrixus said excitedly.

"I say so too!" he replied. He glanced back up to Skyworld with a mischievous smile.

"We're coming for you Hades!" he called to the sky. "I and Palutena will soon be together once again!"

However, it was not Hades that was still watching the magic pedestal but the Eggplant Wizard.

"Stupid Eggplant heads," he sighed.


	6. Chapter 6 Pit's Purpose

A long, dark corridor lied before Pit and Phrixus. Sand was strewn over the stone floor, and the only light available were the torches placed apart in distant spots. It was a still silence in this fortress, but a silence that made the boys feel wary.

"We will need a torch at this point," Pit said.

"And where could one be?" Phrixus asked him.

"The shop," Pit said bluntly. He had stored a considerable amount of money, so all he had to be concerned about was the location of this shop.

Creeping around the dusty halls, a large chamber lied before them. It was spacious, but it had an emptiness that made the impression of being a trap. Pit kept Palutena's Bow close to him and as soon as he sat a sandal on the tile floor, a large group of skulls known as Ganewmeades materialized and flew about the room.

Despite their continuous dips and dives, they were just like the Monoliths Pit fought in Zeus' chamber. Once he found a safe spot, he fired at every Ganewmeade that came to attack him. The group was soon reduced to three, and they were still determined to do harm on him. Pit simply plucked them as they came by.

"Good target practice," he commented after collecting all the hearts.

"They are gone now?" asked Phrixus, peeping out of the chamber entrance. Pit rolled his eyes and continued onward.

In the next chamber, they saw an entrance behind a line of giant beetles. Pit shot a few arrows at each so they could continue inside. It came to be a shop, where the same shopkeeper Pit saw earlier was now standing at the new counter.

"Hello again Pit! I have new merchandise this time!" he said.

Among the items he was now selling was a torch, a bottle, and a pencil. Pit looked over these carefully, for any of these items could help him in some way.

"I just want to say that I found a map back there," added Phrixus, unfurling his discovered map. Pit saw that the fortress was an enormous square that was packed with many rooms.

"Well, the torch is here," he said, grabbing the unlit torch off the counter. The Shopkeeper removed the amount of hearts necessary out of his bag.

"Thank you very much!" he complimented.

The two boys left the shop to meet a new group of Kobils scurry toward them. Pit picked them off with his light arrows, revealing more hearts to use later down the road. The rest of the fortress was a series of climbs and jumping, testing them with facing an assortment of enemies to fight. Pit toke on these beasts relatively easily, while Phrixus could only be a by-stander at these battles. Deep down, he truly wanted to fight alongside Pit and he wanted to be a help to him, but he had to have a weapon in order to do so. Pit felt that Phrixus was growing jealous of his fighting because he was a skilled warrior at a young age, and when it came to that, he did not blame him at all.

After climbing up into a new room, they saw a lone statue of a centurion lying on a ledge. Pit went up to it and brought out his mallet. With a firm hit on the head, the captured centurion was free once more. He was surprised to see his captain stand there in front of him.

"Captain!" he said. "What brought you here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he replied. "How were you turned to stone?"

The centurion grunted and faced away at the wall disappointingly. Phrixus had a difficulty imagining what it was like to be turned into stone, but Pit knew exactly what the unfortunate centurion went through.

"After our shameful defeat by his forces of darkness, Hades turned us into stone and sent us to many of these fortresses all over the world, confident that you would never reach us. But now that you have, I have gained back my strength to fight!" he explained.

Pit nodded, remembering full well the memories of Medusa doing the same to them before. Somehow, Hades must have done something differently this time, but he did not know exactly how he could. The centurion flew away into the fortress corridors, preparing for the eventual fight with the monster living there.

As Pit and Phrixus continued down the fortress themselves, the dank, dark halls and the shade of the statues that beamed at the boys made them feel uneasy and disturbed. Sickening noises of spears thrusting into the air frightened Phrixus, but Pit was used to seeing and avoiding such traps. When the time was right, he leaped across each pot containing one when it slid back into its hiding place. Phrixus spent too much time hesitating to do the same, having to wait three or more thrusts before attempting the jump.

In the next chamber, two Eggplant Wizards were throwing their eggplants high into the air in hopes of cursing them with an eggplant head. Pit quickly dodged them and defeated one of the wizards with a few slices of his blades. Phrixus however, was too busy doding the eggplants. Suddenly, one landed directly on his head, and it stayed there.

"Oh no!" he cried. "I am an eggplant head!"

Pit sighed, because now he had to find the Nurse's room, and it was almost certain to be far away from this room they were in. Backtracking to the spear room, Phrixus wanted no part in trying to jump over the pots blind.

"You can still see it!" Pit remarked. "Even if you have an eggplant for a head you can see!"

So to avoid making Pit more irritated, he jumped over them immediately after the noises ceased. Pit took care of the enemies in front, so Phrixus only had to follow in the direction of his footsteps. Finally, a white room was soon upon them, and standing at this counter was a kind nurse with blue hair and a lovely smile.

"Let me remove the Eggplant Curse," she said to Phrixus. Almost at once the eggplant head disappeared.

"I hate Eggplant Wizards!" Phrixus complained.

"Get used to it," Pit added sadly.

After covering the previous chambers and a few new ones, Pit was delighted to feel a warm feeling sooth over him.

"Yes, the hot spring," he said comfortably.

They came to see a large spring of hot yellow water in a room with two white columns. Pit slowly dipped himself into it, smiling contently as the warm water relaxed his aching feet and soothed his wings. He sighed comfortably as Phrixus enjoyed it with him.

A few minutes later they left the spring with renewed energy. The coming enemies were not a bother for them now, but the monster's room was approaching quickly. Once they entered this huge arena, Pit's lone centurion was next to him, staring at the dwelling of the fortress monster. A series of snorts made its presence know, and slow, heavy stomps were heard as a large Minotaur came into view.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he demanded. Pit glared at the beast-warrior as he walked ahead of the others.

"What magical relic are you hiding here?" he asked. "And who are you?"

The Minotaur crossed his arms and snorted irritably. Not pleased that the angel boy showed up, he pulled out his menacing axe and pointed it at them.

"My name's Asterius, Kid Icarus!" he grunted. "I just so happen to be a loyal henchman of Hades!"

"That was one question, now tell me the other!" Pit replied.

Asterius rolled his eyes and snorted again, his nerves annoyed. The centurion looked eager for battle, but Phrixus was shaking in his sandals.

"This here fortress holds a treasure ole Hades needs protected!" he answered. "Now enough questions already!"

Instead of attacking Pit, Asterius bellowed a natural bull moo that summoned another more horrible monster. It towered over all of them, and its tall, hairy legs led to a muscular body and to a huge head with a single eye. The monster of this fortress was a classic, brutal Cyclops.

"Yes! Bet you didn't think of that!" Asterius remarked. "Dinner is served Monopt!"

The Minotaur left them at the presence of Monopt the Cyclops. The giant was huge, but Pit was still determined to take this monster down if he stood in the way of saving Palutena.

"You should make nice, little morsels!" the Cyclops said, laughing heartily.

He slammed a giant fist on the ground, rocking the chamber and toppling Pit and Phrixus off their feet. Pit swiftly got up and aimed the bow at his large eye. The light arrow shot toward it, only to be missed by Monopt's sudden dodge of his head. The Cyclops kicked his wagon-sized feet at the little figures, but they ran from his move quickly, causing the wall to weakly fall apart.

The arena was made up of tall columns, rocks, and other climbable objects. Pit dashed to the nearest rock and Phrixus fearfully hid behind another. The centurion fought furiously at the giant, his arrows only doing minimal damage. Monopt smashed the rock Pit was on only seconds after he landed on it, sending him flying onto the floor. Pit landed on the stone floor painfully, and Palutena's Bow skidded from his grasp as a result.

Coming to his feet, Monopt's feet stomped around him as he desperately ran to the beloved bow. He slid to it just seconds before one of the Cyclops's feet could slam on him. He swung back up at the Cyclops and fired a light arrow on his chest. Monopt was taken by surprise and fell on his bottom. He fell into a rage, brushing up dust from the floor to stall Pit. He used the Mirror Shield to keep the dust off, and the fists came crashing down seconds later.

Pit dodged the first attack, and Monopt paused before he punched at Pit again, only to be repelled by the Mirror Shield. Another fist swung at Pit but missed, and just as Monopt attacked with his other fist, Pit sliced it at exactly the time it came close to contact. The Cyclops yowled with pain, giving Pit enough time to check on Phrixus.

He was shaking all over by now, amazed that Pit was not smashed to bits. Just as Pit came to him, Monopt picked up the rock hiding Phrixus and tossed it into the air. Pit yanked Phrixus from his spot and ran away before the rock exploded on the floor into many pieces.

Phrixus was taken by Monopt and the Cyclops toke the irreverent kid to the other side of the arena surrounded by rocks to be eaten later, since he had a much more important boy to eat.

"Help me Pit!" he cried from his trapped spot.

Pit turned around to see his companion hidden in the rocks, and the angel glared intensely at the Cyclops about to strike him. He ran to an area where Monopt would have to crouch to attack, and he followed his small prey vengefully. The Cyclops lunged at Pit, bashing into the wall and thrashing his arms and legs wildly. Pit quickly climbed up onto his back and stabbed it with his blade, forcing Monopt to make a painful roar. The boy continued to slice and shoot light arrows relentlessly on all of his weak spots, and Monopt got back on his feet as he flew up to his shoulders. Making a mischievous smile, he pointed the bow at his eye. The Cyclops looked with dread before he sent the light arrow into his eye.

The monster did not roar this time, but he paused. His raised arms drooped downward and his entire body fell over onto the enormous wall behind him. A tremendous crash burst through the air as Monopt busted the wall and landed on hot, dry sand outside, flooding sunlight into the torch-lit arena. Pit had glided to safety at the right moment, the light protruding around him as Phrixus saw him fly to his rescue. He helped raise him up, and the fishing boy was at a loss for words.

"…..wow," he muttered. "You know how to fight!"

"I still had it in me," he replied.

The two of them looked around for the centurion. They found him not so far away, but he was in a condition Pit never wanted to see. He was lying on his back with his feet pointing to the sky. Pit stared at him with saddened eyes as he approached the brave centurion.

"I gave it my best captain," he said weakly.

"I know you did," he replied. "Your death shall not be in vain."

The centurion fidgeted, his life almost about to slip away.

"You must not only save Palutena," he added. "You must not only save Palutena, but the mortals, the gods, and ultimately…the world."

The centurion relaxed his arms and muscles for good. Pit looked on at his comrade's death, trying to hold his tears back.

"Things must be more serious than I thought," said Phrixus.

Pit wiped away at his eyes and turned to him with perhaps the most serious face he ever saw on him.

"I have a duty to fulfill," he said firmly. "I must save the great Palutena, and our world."

He stared at the bright desert outside, never before thinking such highly of his ultimate purpose. Then, a shining light from deep within the arena crept closer to them, and a beautiful, magnificent harp glowed before them.

"This must be the treasure," Phrixus said.

Pit stared at it intently, and once his hand touched its golden brilliance, a flood of love and happiness swam through him. His wings ruffled gracefully, and all sorrow from his heart was erased with love for all. A warm smile grew on him now, and he placed the harp in his bag and left the fortress behind with Phrixus behind him.

Pit never lost or forgot what his centurion told him, but his purpose stood strong alongside love and confidence. And this, he thought, would help bring about victory and success for all.


	7. Chapter 7 New Friends and Enemies

When Hades learned that Pit succeeded in his battle with the Cyclops, a rumbling rage swelled inside his dark energy and he shook with the force of many rattling bones. He pointed his two-pronged staff at the quivering Eggplant Wizard as though he wanted to pierce his purple body. The shadows that hung over his shady human appearance fanned like flames behind his shoulders.

"I expected much better news," he growled.

"Apparently not today, my lord," the wizard said nervously.

For a minute it seemed that Hades lessened his rage somewhat. He sank back into his throne, his shadows ceasing back into flat blackness and his face looking tired.

"Yes, apparently not," he said; now appearing to be merely disappointed.

"Do not despair, my lord!" assured the Eggplant Wizard. "You know that at first Pit would be no small task. If I remember right, Medusa thought less of him when he supposedly climbed out of your own realm and took the kingdom of light back. We know that danger this time, my lord. Now we can strike that kid where it hurts most! Monopt failed in his attempt, but this is only the beginning!"

Hades contemplated these thoughts, and nodded in agreement. It was true that he was better prepared for Pit than the unwilling Medusa. He was used to living under the tired ground before man ever walked it. There was simply no way in the universe that a mere angel would best a mighty god such as himself. He was taking this rather too easily.

"My loyal Eggplant Wizard," he said to him. "Do you realize that we are playing a game this boy intends to triumph over us? He has bested Medusa and a powerful demon lord before if I am not mistaken. Do you realize that he thinks _lowly _of me?"

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"Ah, I suppose you do not," said Hades. "You must not realize that Pit, captain of Palutena's army, does not think that I am an all-powerful god, but just an opponent standing in his way?"

He stared at the Eggplant Wizard with an amused cock of his bushy eyebrow. When he did realize what he was hinting at, he blinked his eyeball and opened his mouth dumbly.

"Well, surely he knows your powers!" he muttered.

"Oh, really?" he replied, now staring at him with trickery in his eyes. "He sure does not seem that way to me. Perhaps I should…well…curse him? That ought to tell him what he is up against."

"Of course!" exclaimed the Eggplant Wizard. "Why didn't I think of that, and I'm the most annoying thing to pester him since Plutons!"

Rising from his throne, Hades strode powerfully to a chamber of the corrupted palace where a great oracle stood. It was this oracle where it could look at any location in the world, and Hades was going to use it to be a guide for his curse. It conjured up the image of Pit before he could even command it to do so.

"Let a great uprising surface from within Pit," chanted Hades. "Let the concealed force, the secret power, seep from the depths of his heart!"

Although Pit knew nothing of what was going on in him, a very faint darkness seeped from his heart, barely a glimmer of shade. It took nothing physical to feel it, but Pit felt a small sense of depression from it.

"What's wrong, Pit?" asked Phrixus.

"That's strange," muttered Pit. "For a moment I felt something bad in me."

"Oh, well, it could be hunger," replied Phrixus. "I'm hungry too!"

Pit doubted that had anything to do with it. Right now he was more focused on leaving Petrland and finding Aquarius so they could move on to the next land. Their trek through the rocky terrain made Pit forget of the feeling, for the disturbances of monsters kept him occupied. His accomplice was beginning to feel more confident, even managing to take out a shemum before the serpent could get at his feet.

"Rocks sure are useful!" he said with a chuckle.

"Maybe when we reach a village, I can get some kind of weapon for you," said Pit.

That was enough to make Phrixus giddy for the rest of their trek. He could picture himself fighting great beasts with Pit, and perhaps someday he could battle monsters that would tower over him.

After some time passed, an enclave was appearing. When they got closer to it, it came to be a cliff overlooking a small town that was bigger than the village Pit landed into. Relieved, the two hiked down along the side until they reached the gate, where two guards stood watch.

Upon seeing Pit's wings, the guard nodded to permit him and his friend through. Now that the angel warrior was in their town, he knew that they would be secure for how long he was to stay there.

"You may enter, Pit," he said.

"Any monsters of Hades' come here?" he asked.

"No sir, but with you here I believe we are well protected now that you have arrived," he replied.

Pit received looks when he came walking up the market street. Whispers were passed and smiles made. They had no idea that he would come to their small rock town all of a sudden. It was as if an unknown light had come to bid them hello. The first shop they went to was the weapon store. Pit still remembered what he said to Phrixus earlier and saw that this was the right place.

"How can I help you two today?" asked the stout shopkeeper who looked rough but still friendly.

"We're here to find a weapon for my friend to use," explained Pit. "He needs something to fend with, so go ahead look for whatever you want, Phrixus!"

Scanning the blades before him, a slingshot fell on his view and he felt an instant liking to it. Small but with a sling that could shoot the harshest rocks, he held it up and tried it a few times with no ammunition.

"You might have to try with a pebble," the shopkeeper told him. "It makes a difference between using it empty and full."

He had a few pebbles ready for practice on his desk, and handed one to Phrixus. Placing it on the sling, he looked around for anywhere to shoot it.

"Here, I'll lead you outside to my own target range," said the shopkeeper. "I don't want you to target my other weapons do I?"

They walked out of the building into an alley with a few targets strewn about the walls. Phrixus had his sight set on the one at the end, the hardest to reach. The pebble was set, the sling pulled back, and then it was let go for the fire.

_Whoosh! Snap! _It was launched straight to the target where it hit on the bulls-eye. Pit was impressed. Phrixus felt pride come up in him.

"Good shot!" complimented Pit. "Looks like the slingshot might be your thing!"

"I'm buying this!" said Phrixus.

So they went back to the counter and Phrixus gave the shopkeeper the amount of hearts needed to buy the slingshot. Then he got to handle his new weapon freely when they got out into the street.

"I may treasure this slingshot like you do Palutena's Bow!" Phrixus told Pit.

"I don't doubt it," he replied with a smile. "What's going on over there?"

A group of children were being ridiculed and pushed by an older boy about Pit's age. He had dirty brown hair with amber eyes to match and a grin that could only make him look like a scoundrel. Pit could tell a bully when he saw one.

"Hey you!" he called to him. "Stop bullying those kids!"

The rascal diverted from his victims to glare at his challenger. The children's sprits became higher when they saw that it was Pit that came to help them.

"What, can't you see I'm busy here?" snapped the bully. "Get lost, Kid Icarus!"

"If you don't stop now, I'm going to have to take you down!" warned Pit.

"Go on, have at it!" taunted the trouble maker.

Pit went to him and shoved him to the ground, pinning the bow on his chest to keep him down.

"Oh, so you're armed huh?" he sneered. "Well, look at what I have!"

He kicked Pit off of him and he sprang to his feet with a knife. Lunging at Pit, he raised his weapon to strike when a rock smacked on his hand.

"Ow!" he yelled. "It was you!"

Phrixus turned down his slingshot to load another rock, but his target crouched down to the ground to retrieve the knife. One of the three children, a small boy, kicked him on his bottom to make him fall down flat.

"That's right, Pythos, take him out!" cheered his sister.

While he was down, Pit picked up the knife and threw it far away. In a rage, the bully jumped back up and ran after his prized possession.

"I'll get you for this!" he vowed. "I shall defeat you all!"

Once he was gone, the three children relaxed now that their tormentor was gone. Pit shook his head and thanked Phrixus for helping him out.

"I have to thank you for stopping Glaucus," said the sister of the small boy. "My name is Penelope, she's Helen, and he's Pythos."

"Nice to meet you," said Pit. "I just wanted to stop by here to rest. Tomorrow we have to find Captain Aquarius so we could continue our quest."

"Really?" she said. "So you are going to stop Hades?"

"I'll do everything in my power to!" he replied.

She liked this determination in him. Normally most people would dare not challenge a god in fear of great punishment, but this one was willing to do so to save everyone. Friendship qualities were apparent in him. She had to let him come to their home so he could rest and discuss his plans.

"We'll let you come to our home," she said. "Right everyone?"

The other two nodded vigorously, and so they made their way to their home as Hades spied above. He turned toward the mumbling Glaucus.

"Stupid Kid Icarus," he mumbled. "He's thinks he's so good."

"So I know well, Glaucus," said someone.

He jumped when the voice came, and saw that a vulture had appeared on the tree above him.

"I am Hades," he said in his vulture form. "I sense that you take a dislike to Pit?"

"Dislike? More like disgust!" pouted Glaucus. "I hope he becomes like Icarus and gets his wings fried! Yeah, that's more like it! I didn't like that kid since he became some kind of hero in Angel Land. Please! He only did that just to be someone!"

"How about I make you into someone too?" suggested Hades. "With my assistance, Pit shall fall harder than Icarus ever did."

He went on to discuss his plotting to Glaucus, the bully liking every word the death god said.


	8. Chapter 8 What Happened To Pit

Chapter 8 What Happened to Pit

The house of Penelope was fairly modest for the people of her village, but Pit and Phrixus were still impressed at how kind the girl was. Sweet, yet firm when her little brother tugged at her arm, her golden hair brushed past Pit's cheeks once and he almost blushed. He was grateful that Phrixus did not look at him, for the boy would have done what most boys would have done and chuckled at the silly face. But, his attention would not have mattered, because out came the portly mother of Penelope with a face like Medusa.

"Daughter, where have you been this whole time?" she demanded, her eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Oh, mother, out walking with my brother and sister, what else?" replied Penelope innocently.

"Did I not tell you that bully Glaucus is running around the town causing trouble like the demon he is?" shrieked Penelope's Mother. "Now, hurry in and meet your father, who is very disturbed by your untimely leave!"

As a matter of fact, her father was anything but disturbed. He was plucking grapes from a twig and appearing to be as content as a lazy dog when she gracefully entered his domain. His eyes opened wide and his shiny white teeth splattered with grapes gleamed as he opened his mouth to laugh. He took no attention to the three boys staring at Penelope.

"Penelope, Oh, my sweet, little Penelope!" laughed the Father. "Now, did that rascal bother you any?"

"No, he didn't, father, but I've brought Pit himself to come visit us!" said Penelope, gesturing to the angel.

The slim man whirled around at Pit and practically collapsed to the floor and bowed like Pit was Zeus himself. The boy angel only stared at him with a humorous face that made Phrixus laugh. These two parents of Penelope's were rather strange for a beautiful girl like her. She was not like them at all.

"Ah, welcome to our household, my little hero!" exclaimed the Father. "Do excuse my weird behavior, will you? I am afraid that I have been eating grapes for far too long, and getting so full of fruit makes you become… well… fruity, right?"

"Um, I guess so," muttered Pit, thoroughly confused.

"Of course so, boy! Now, snap it to, Penelope! I want you to bring Mother in and put Pythos away for the moment!" said the Father.

Penelope did as she was told, and she took the struggling Pythos into another room. While Pit and Phrixus were chattered by her Father, Penelope took her little brother to the nurse of the household, and I can tell you that she was not like the common nurses that Pit usually met. She was actually rather rough, and as soon as her hawkish eyes settled on Pythos, she seized the boy and shoved honey down his throat.

"You have had too much adventure today, Pythos!" she scolded the unfortunate boy. "Take this and you will feel stronger, as well as sticky so you will not be so reckless!"

When he got his fill, he staggered back and smacked his lips loudly, not liking the sticky substance the nurse fed him. Penelope secretly shook her head at the nurse, as she turned her head and muttered darkly. This woman that Mother had the nerve to hire was a handful! Here she thought Pythos was a problem and she was the problem herself! If it was up to her, she would have taken the middle-aged girl out of the door and away from her family. But, that was not meant to be, because her incompetent parents could not afford to live alone because they were not wise with medicine, and this bad nurse was the only one around to know what was best for Pythos's health.

"Medea, you need to be better on my brother!" said Penelope rather coldly.

"Better?" said the nurse. "I believe _you _should be better, Penelope! Here I am in this house helping your parents whom could not help themselves and you tell me to be better! The nerve girls like you have! I ought to give you a healthy dose of honey too!"

"No, thank you!" blurted Penelope. "Who would dare think honey is a medicine? It's a food."

With that, she took Pythos away from Medea, and he was happy to follow her this time. The nurse scowled and looked outside the window, reflecting bitterly on all the wrong things that had happened on her today. That lousy father needed a bath, and he could not find something to scrub! So, she had to take a tool for him to scrub with! The man had the nerve to complain it was hard! Then that Mother, oh, she even matched wits with her. She actually preferred to let that one set her own course, but what was this? Did she see a vulture flying around a boy out there in the dry grass?

She stood up to see clearer, and discovered that her eyes were not pulling tricks on her. That boy _was _being followed by a vulture, and it was opening and shutting its beak repeatedly as though it was talking! Well, that was something interesting. She would have to take a closer look at that. As she climbed out of the window and set her foot on the ground, she thought that this boy was either dying or had a special talent with animals.

Her black hair blew in the wind as she strode to the boy and vulture like a princess, and there was some kind of odd feeling aroused within her like a want. The boy eventually saw the nurse coming toward him with grey hat and apron, and he scowled and made a disappointing face that aroused resentment in her. But, when the vulture swooped down and stopped its peculiar speech, it had eyes so dark and so void that it stopped her at once and she smiled sweetly like she made a simple mistake.

"Excuse me, boy, but how are you talking to that vulture friend of yours?" she asked.

"This vulture is Hades, God of the Underworld!" said the boy, who was Glaucus. "He's gonna help me out!"

"Ah, is that so?" she said nicely, although internally she felt doubtful. "Well, sir vulture, do speak to me."

"Hello, Medea," groaned the vulture.

She let loose a short shriek that echoed back to the house. Even with the Father chattering like a bird, Pit heard the voice and poked his head out the door to see where it was. But he saw nothing, and so he put himself back to the chattering Father. Glaucus sighed with relief that Hades had made them invisible during that moment, and they resumed form again.

"So, Hades, what brings you to my humble abode?" asked Medea.

"I am actually rather happy that I have stumbled upon you, nurse," said Hades. "I and Glaucus had been chattering lately, like that infernal Father you have had to take care of. But, this is something that would directly benefit you most. You see, I, as master of death, can cause great destruction if I had to. But, I have had a mission to fulfill, and with it will come a happening so intense and wonderful that it could be done by you."

So he explained his plan to Medea, who learned about Palutena's fall at Skyworld. But there was another thing about the explanation that made it especially interesting. It was very quiet, and not even a cricket would have heard it. But Glaucus and Medea did, and they smiled wickedly. Medea was a rather dark individual, and it was not because she was a rough nurse. She had also taken witchcraft on the side, and its practice had her rebellious against Palutena and understanding of Medusa. Before that, she was a decent girl, but when she abused the practice of black magic, it corrupted her mind to become tough and mean. So anything to hurt the person she resented would help her out.

"You will have a job, Medea," said Hades. "Do it right, and you will be rewarded lavishly."

…

Back at the house, Pit had endured the Father's chatter and was now resting with Phrixus and Penelope. There was a strange dish on the table in the room, and in it was water that seemed to shine brightly. The odd thing had a fish swimming in it, and this fish was splashing the water and scattering droplets of it on the table. Penelope giggled at the playful thing and picked it up for the angel to view closer.

"This is Pisces, Pit," she said.

"Pisces?" said Pit. "Do you mean the two fish connected by a string? Where's the other one?"

At that, she frowned sadly and placed the dish holding the fish back on the table. Her Father was back eating grapes, and his smacking lips were beginning to annoy Phrixus so much that he started to eat the grapes from his twig. An action like that would have made Pit yell at him for his rude behavior, but he was too busy studying the fish to notice.

"That was because during a storm one night, the dish was too close to the edge of this table," said Penelope. "I don't know if it was Father or Mother that put it there, but Pisces used to be a name for both of the fish, not just this one. You see, the storm was so violent that the wind came rushing into our home and swept this dish out of here. It must've flown up into the air and took the fish up into the tight hold of the winds, and the dish came right back to this table and settled onto the center. That was our nurse Medea that told us that, and I felt a little sad about the incident."

"That's bizarre," commented Pit. "But… hey, Phrixus get your hand off his grapes!"

Phrixus was about to get at the last few grapes on the twig, but when Pit saw him, he immediately let go and twiddled his thumbs like he was not paying attention. The man did not notice, however, because he was picking at his teeth to get out the remains of grapes stuck there. _I think both of them aren't being very courteous _thought Pit.

"Anyway, about Pisces, would this Medea know about the storm as well?" asked Pit.

"Perhaps, but she was probably asleep before it came," said Penelope. "The wind might have woken her up to see the fish go up."

At that moment, the Mother came stomping in, shaking her head. Pit took notice and went up to her, sensing that there was trouble going on outside.

"What was that my eyes just lay on?" whispered the Mother.

"Trouble?" asked Pit.

"What, oh, yes I suppose," replied the Mother. "I just saw Medea running around with Glaucus back there. Pretty odd to see the two of them together, that bully would've pulled on her hair and took a thing or two from her."

At the name of the bully, Pit rushed out and saw the two of them and the vulture in plain sight. _Swoosh!_ His wings gave him the power to make a long jump to stop the two in time before they were about to throw hay on the home. Disappointment was written on Glaucus's face when he found out that his plot failed.

"Ah, that would've been so awesome!" pouted Glaucus. "Typical that Palutena's sweet little treasure had to ruin it! You suck! Why don't you just go away and fly into a ditch somewhere? Beat it!"

"Quiet, bully!" yelled Pit. "I know what you were going to do! You were going to set this place on fire! I'm not going to let you do such a bad thing on these people, who probably didn't do a single thing to you."

He turned from the furious Glaucus and stared coldly at Medea. Her face ignited a sudden fear within Pit, and something deep inside him seemed to snap. Her face was like someone he used to fight many, many years before. Seeing that he was taken aback, she made a laugh that also seemed to be eerily familiar.

"Well, I didn't expect to see the great hero Pit come storming out of that rat house that I was forced to work in ever since Penelope was a simple runt! Shouldn't you be back up in Skyworld fighting off Hades's forces? Oh, that's right, you have your best friend you have to have tag along with you! How could I forget! Well, as you may have learned, I am the nurse Medea, master of medicine as well as poison! And you, my young angel, need every bit of a dose of poison that you need!"

There was such venom in her words that a heart churned deep inside Pit. He began to feel sickly and nauseated. By this time, Penelope had come outside to see what was the matter and saw Pit fall to the ground, clutching his heart. Stifling a scream, she rushed down to her friend and witnessed him take deep breaths, breaths that seemed to come from deep inside the young angel. They were deeper than any human would have released, and when he was doing the last of his breaths, it turned into a moan. Medea, smirking wickedly, looked up to the vulture perching on the tree that was Hades.

"Looks like your magic is working, Lord Hades!" said Medea to him. "Today, Dark Pit shall be made!"

_Whoosh! _A shadow curved from behind Pit's shoulders, and a mirror image of Pit appeared, only he had black wings, dark brown hair, and a dark blue crown of laurel. Taking on a physical form, he collapsed to the ground and got up slowly, as did the normal Pit. When they turned around to see each other, the normal one stared in horror as the dark one smirked.

"You can't be me," said Pit.

"No, I'm not you," said Dark Pit. "I just happen to be your other side, the side you usually aren't."

Hades saw that his ultimate task had been done, and he left to fly back to Skyworld to return to the Underworld. Soon the darkness would become temporary, and then someday that darkness would turn back. In the meantime, he had other plans to do, but this time he would have a partner. Medea walked to Dark Pit, and the two of them met for the first time. He seemed to take an aversion at first, but eventually he smiled darkly, for he knew the two of them were similar in thought and mindset.

"Let's go, Dark Pit," said Medea. "Penelope, I'm leaving this place. Let your parents search for a better nurse, but before long none of you shall be fit to have a nurse once I and this fallen angel are through! Ahhahahahaha!"

She pulled out a bottle of black liquid and burst it on the ground, bringing up a smoke that teleported Medea, Dark Pit, and Glaucus to another location. Now the normal Pit and Penelope were alone. Pythos, Phrixus, and Penelope's Mother and Father had seen it all happen. Pit was down for a minute, but he stood bolt upright and had a fire burning in his eyes.

"Listen to me, everyone," he told them all. "I sense a terrible thing is going to happen, and if it happens, we're all in big trouble! I'm going to need the help of all of you to bring me back to Skyworld and Lady Palutena immediately. Get in the house!"

Without a word, they followed Pit as he ran into the living room. He told the family and his friend to all pray to Lady Palutena, and they all did so. Her words were soon streaming into Pit's mind.

"Pit, can you hear me?" asked Palutena. "I can hear Penelope, her parents, and Phrixus praying to me, and I shall answer your passage to Skyworld."

"I'm on my way, Lady Palutena!" answered Pit.

A magic was rising up in Pit's wings, and he said his goodbyes to his friend and Penelope and her parents. Then, as they watched on, he ran outside and took off into the skies to go back into Skyworld. They continued to watch the shape of Pit go up into the sky until it was visible no more.

"I wonder what's going to happen, Father?" asked Penelope.

"I don't know, Penelope, but let's at least have faith in Pit!" said her Father. "In the meantime, I need to find a new nurse!"

"What?" blurted Phrixus. "Here we were, seeing a dark version of Pit being released, and you're worried about hiring another nurse? I ought to go back inside and eat the rest of your grapes!"

He ran back into the house as the Father gave a cry of terror, followed by the Mother scowling like a dog as she went back inside to chasten the two of them. Penelope, on the other hand, stayed outside and stared up at the sky with hope.

"Good luck, Pit, I have faith in you!" she said to the sky above.


	9. Chapter 9 Palutena's Mission

Pit's mind raced as he flew back to a seemingly normal Skyworld. Angels, confused and dazed, were walking through the land's streets and squares just as they normally would, but there was still a sense of uneasiness in the air. It certainly felt that way at Palutena's palace, because Pit and the guards there still felt the rotten feeling of Hades hanging. Pit saluted the centurions standing guard and came into Palutena's white chambers.

From her pedestal up high, the beautiful green eyes of Palutena seemed to welcome Pit, and it warmed him up considerably. He took a bow to the goddess, and he rose back up to give his report.

"Lady Palutena, I've come from the human world in one piece," said Pit.

"I see that," replied Palutena with a smile, but then she turned serious. "But I don't see that from within you."

"Yes, I know," muttered Pit, shuffling his sandals sadly. "My dark side, what little I had of it, was released by Hades's dark magic."

Palutena rose from the air and floated down to get closer to her captain of the guard.

"Never before had I felt a stranger feeling, even with all my long years. One moment I was standing still like ice in the farthest reaches of the world, and then I became as active as a deer. All that energy seemed to be released from the bonds that held me and my people, and there were no traces of demons or Underworld troops to be found. It almost seemed too easy, and it _was _too easy. Now I understand perfectly what Hades had done, and that was to make us vulnerable," said Palutena.

"He sure didn't hang around very long," commented Pit. "As soon as he made Dark Pit, he had Medea and Glaucus go away with him!"

"Ah, I've heard of those two," said Palutena. "I remember a particular night when Medea sent me insulting messages about how cruel I was to witches like her, so I punished her with a rotten bowl of soup. That obviously didn't improve her moods. But, Pit, I want you to go back to the Overworld and return to the village that you first fell into. When you get there, you must tell the villagers that an evil version of yourself is causing mischief throughout the land, so make haste!"

Pit certainly made haste, because he gave Palutena a departing goodbye and flew off with wings shining back to the village where his journey began. When he was gone, Palutena silently thought about what Hades might have in store for her.

…

"I bring very dire news!" called the frantic messenger.

"Not that fool again," muttered the Mayor, who was taking a bath in his private quarters.

Ever since Pit left the village, that same messenger had been coming back to report news that scared his people, news of monsters ruining farmers' crops and kidnapping children right and left. It only made the Mayor grumble, and he personally wanted to banish the cowardly man out of his house. But, there was a certain thing about the messenger right this moment that seemed even more daunting. His eyes, sometimes with tears in them, were bloodshot with fear as well as fatigue. His black hair, usually a clumped mess, was whipped around by the wind and sprung up from his running, aching feet. It spooked small children standing by and even made the local dog scurry off uneasily.

"It's that angel again, and he's gone bad!" he screeched.

Sprinting to the Mayor's house, the Servant, who was just as tired of the person as his master was, gave him an impatient stare as he stopped right in front of him and brought up a messy cloud of dust. Panting greatly, the messenger had his head drooped until he raised it to stare at the servant with maddened eyes. The servant gasped at the saliva coming out of his mouth.

"Beware, beware," muttered the Messenger. "Dark- ow!"

He did not get any time to give his message, because a laser blasted him on the back and sent him flying all the way to the field beside the house. There stood Dark Pit, glaring, carrying a black cannon. The futuristic weapon made the servant's jaw drop, and Dark Pit snickered like a naughty school boy.

"Sorry about that," said Dark Pit. "That messenger was going a little too crazy for my taste!"

Clomping up to the servant, his darker features made the man think Pit had done an overhaul of his image. There was particularly something about his eyes that had a sense of trouble in them that made the servant privately want to leave and go somewhere else.

"Your master's in there, right?" asked Dark Pit.

It was unnerving that he had the cannon aiming on his stomach while he asked the question, but the Servant decided that it was best to go and call for his master before Dark Pit would start thinking about blasting him too.

"Yes, absolutely, you came to the right place!" said the Servant. "Oh, master, you have a peculiar visitor here! You might recognize him!"

The noise the blast had made had startled the Mayor out of his bath and he was now donned in a bath robe. Stumbling out of his private quarters to see who this visitor might be, he had to admit that he was taken off guard the moment he saw Dark Pit with his black toga, dark brown hair, dark green crown of laurel, and smug grin greet him at the door.

"All right, Mayor, I have several questions for you," said Dark Pit. "Go and have a seat somewhere."

It was strange to be told what to do by a dark angel, much less a boy, but the Mayor was not going to take chances with that huge gun he wielded. So the uneasy man sat on his favorite stone seat that was crafted by a naiad as a gift for stopping a brash group of fishermen looking to snag boatloads of fish from her river. Their reckless ways would have severely damaged the fishing population, but the Mayor had to throw his weight around the bunch of them to get them to leave his land. Now that he was taking orders from this dark angel, however, he felt like he had lost the commanding sense of dignity he had had before this whole episode with Pit.

"What brings you to my village?" asked the Mayor.

"I hear Pit has been here not too long ago," said Dark Pit. "Now here's my question, where is he right now?"

"Why, that is something that puzzles me!" replied the Mayor. "He left to free Skyworld from Hades if I remember right, and there was a girl that gave him a map too, Galatea is her name."

"Yeah, that's the girl I'm looking for!" exclaimed Dark Pit, eagerly anticipated in a bad way.

"Now, here's my question right back at you," muttered the Mayor darkly. "What would the likes of you want with that sweet girl who's the daughter of a friend of mine? Hear me now, fallen angel; if you dare hurt one hair on her head I shall strangle you myself! With your cannon out of your hands of course."

Out of his seat, Dark Pit almost fired the cannon on the man's face, but then pulled back and chuckled at the Mayor's concern. Was this silly man really thinking that he was going to be hurting that girl? Why, no, he was instead going to be taking her on a wild ride with Medea to a land that would make skin crawl. But, as far as hurting her, that was out of the question. Who knows, maybe he might have a liking to this girl during that time?

"Nah, I don't think I would do anything like that, _sir_," he said, trailing the last word with ridicule. "In fact, I want to take her away and see what she thinks about an upcoming plan of mine! Now, don't strangle me yet, _sir_. I have to give her up to Medea, and I won't hurt a hair on her head either. If you're that worried about this Galatea, _sir_, then I suggest you go easy on me or you'll be joining that Messenger out in the field!"

Losing interest in the dumbfounded Mayor, Dark Pit left the house and brushed past the Servant, who shook with a chill as he walked by. Once out of there, he ran into the village, ready to go seek out this Galatea girl and pay her a visit.

…

The normal Pit was just as close to the village as his darker counterpart, but luckily he had made it to the house just in time to see Galatea tending to her flowers. Sweetly humming a lullaby that was sung to her by her mother, she turned upward and, like in a dream, gazed on Pit soaring over her head. The magic coming off his wings shook the flowers elegantly and a sweet scent was cast into the air as a result. His eyes twinkling, Pit came to a calm landing and approached her.

"I had to come back," he said, concern heard in his voice. "Quick, we have to get back in your house."

She obeyed without a word, and her mother and father were nowhere to be seen at the moment. That was easy enough, because Pit took Galatea into her room and sat her on the bed, the same one where he lied before. It seemed odd to Pit that Galatea was being so quiet, but it did not matter much anyway, because Pit had a lot to tell her that was important to her overall safety. He explained all the events since he left the village.

"Oh, my, it sounds like you've had a pretty rough time out there," said Galatea, finally speaking.

"Yes, I did, and thanks for speaking up," said Pit. "How come you're so quiet?"

"There was an odd dream I had last night," replied Galatea, drifting her eyes around the room. "I was in a field with another girl; I guess she was about the same age as me. Anyway, we were both approached by this terrible demon clad in black armor. He had horribly long horns, green eyes, and a deep voice with dark magic coming off his hands. He told us that he was a Dark Lord, one of the rulers of the Underworld. He needed us to be part of a ritual, a dark ritual. How he described it, it sounded more like a sacrifice than a ritual, and it involved both of us. Just as he was about to explain what the purpose of that ritual was, a muscular man with dark hair and a big sword came out of the shadows and surprised the three of us. Then that was over."

"Well, if a Dark Lord is in your dream, I would take that as more of a nightmare," muttered Pit. "But, that part about the man with the big sword sounds interesting."

"Pit," said Galatea. "I don't want to bother, but I have to, because I think I see something black out the window."

Pit, thinking it might be this mysterious man, looked out the window and got a much worse surprise. There was Dark Pit, staring right at the front of the house with the hardest of looks, and he still had his cannon. He was approaching like a shadow being cast by the sun. Pit quietly told Galatea to stay hidden in the room, and then he dashed out to the front of the house for a confrontation.

"You're not getting Galatea!" yelled Pit.

"Yes I am, my light self, so you might as well back off unless you want to be blasted off instead!" yelled back Dark Pit.

The good Pit remained firm. He wished that he had had his own cannon right now, but if he had to use the bow, then so be it. The energy within Dark Pit's cannon grew ominously as he approached the front of the house, and attempted to shove Pit aside until Galatea came out of the front door.

"Galatea, I thought I told you to stay inside!" said Pit.

"Ha, that's fine with me! That actually makes it a lot easier!" laughed Dark Pit. "Come here with me, girl!"

"If you want me," cried Galatea. "Then the two of you will have to duel!"

Even with such a radical idea like that, the two angels were furious enough to do anything to get at each other. So with Dark Pit's cannon and Pit's bow, they were led out into the field near the home by Galatea herself, and she was uneasy about blurting out this suggestion. What if they both died? Then she would never get around with herself again. No, she could not think like that. Pit was rightful and pure, unlike that tainted Dark Pit. He would make it out in the end. She decided to have faith in Pit to put Dark Pit back in his place.

"Ready to lose?" asked Dark Pit, smirking.

"Not now and not ever!" replied Pit.


End file.
